Foster Care
by 8belles
Summary: A tale with Agent Perotta (remember her?) and a dive into the Foster care past of Bones. Murder, kids on the edge. Set in Season 4-5


Killer in Foster Care

Tempe looked at the partially charred body of the approximately twelve year old girl laying behind the shed in the back yard. A wave of emotional revulsion moved within her, firstly because she was a child, secondly because she may be a foster child and this could be her foster home. Brennan had to choke back a torrent of memories from that part of her life and refocus on the case.

The burning was very amateurish. Accelerant had been used, gasoline by the residual smell of it, and it had only damaged the skeletal tissues on a superficial level. To her trained eye, the body had been behind the shed for at least four days and she had a suspicion that the murder wasn't pleased with the rate of decomposition so decided to bring in the flames. Tempe shook her head. Suspicion? She'd been working with Booth too long if she was now "supposing" things. Her line of sight wandered to her partner who was busy with the foster parents, the owners of the home. Back to the body she dragged her eyes reluctantly to catalog other information in her near-photographic memory.

Booth was deadly serious asking the foster parents to recount the events of the day leading up to this. The older couple looked clearly distressed, their eyes were bloodshot with tears and the wife wrung her hands anxiously. " We let the dogs out very early this morning and they were barking. When I looked out, I saw the flames.", the foster father said choking on tears.

" Is your foster daughter missing?", Booth asked with ice in his voice.

The spouses looked at each other before the wife responded in a small voice, " Yes. Emily had a habit of running away. She's been gone for about a week."

Booth repressed an urge to arrest both of them on the spot just because they were entrusted with the care of this child and they let her run away? He collected himself carefully and spoke, " We are not sure at this point if this is Emily. Who is your dentist?"

The wife gave the name of the dentist and Booth introduced them to a police officer so they could officially file a missing child report. The next person he saw was a man who looked completely disorganized and slightly disheveled. His glasses were askew, papers were protruding from what appeared to be an over stuffed briefcase and his tie was crooked. He approached Booth, clearing his throat, before proffering his hand, " Agent Booth?"

" Yes. I am. Are you Tom Roosevelt?", Booth replied darkly and ignoring his handshake, hoping this apparently clueless man was not the Child Protective Services case worker.

" Yes, pleased to meet you. Is this…Emily?", Tom peered over Booth's shoulder and swallowed nervously. He turned a lighter shade of pale.

" We are not clear at this time. Our forensics team is on it.", Booth turned him away from the crime scene, " What do you know about Emily?"

" Well, umm… I.", Tom stammered and then inhaled deeply as if to clear his muddled thoughts, " I guess it will all be public record eventually." There was a resigned note to his voice of defeat, " Emily was not our best poster child for CPS. The Williams are one of our best foster parents." Tom gestured towards the older couple as Booth kept moving him away from the crime scene to a comfortable distance. "They've been fostering kids for decades. The kids who came out of their home have been such inspirations for us." Tom paused, Seeley waited. "There are very few inspirations for those of us in CPS."

" What about Emily?", Booth pressed.

The caseworker swallowed again and appeared to collect his errant thoughts, "She was a handful. Street smart, that one. Gave these folks nothing but grief. I'd get calls all hours of the night to come get her from juvie lockup or to bail her out from some trouble. She had-", a sharp look from Booth set him straight, "has a penchant for running away."

"Any known enemies?", Seeley asked.

"Probably. She didn't talk about what she was up to on the street when the cops would round her up.", he replied.

Booth heard his name and looked back over his shoulder. Tempe was motioning to him with a gory, glove covered hand. "We'll be in touch, Mr. Roosevelt. Thanks."

" Sure thing.", Tom looked back and almost fainted.

Booth walked towards his partner, but he did not smile because she had a dark look on her face and a crime scene was no place to display any affections. She had been into the corpse and flecks of fluids and tissue clung to her sleeve cuffs and gloves. The odor of gas, burnt flesh and death emanated from her. Not really attractive, but she was his partner, dirty or clean. " What ya got, Bones?", he asked trying to sound casual.

" This is not Emily. She's too young. Emily is seventeen?", Bones asked, not looking at him but at the body on the ground.

" Yeah. She's also missing. Are you fairly sure this is not her?", Seeley asked then regretted his words.

Bones looked at him with a cutting glare, " Am I ever wrong?"

Seeley grimaced slightly, " Not usually." He shuffled a bit, " I'm sorry. I'm sure this case is getting under your skin."

" No. It's not. It's just a case. The foster care is just coincidental.", she huffed and asked her team to bag the remains and all the other evidence.

She breezed past him. " See you back at the lab?", Seeley asked tentatively. She did not respond. " I guess that's a yes.", he muttered to himself and turned away to his own vehicle.

At the lab, the body was being examined by Cam and Hodgins buzzed around like one of his beloved flies gathering bits and pieces of evidence for analysis. " Doctor Hodgins, if you don't settle down a bit, I'll have to restrain you.", Cam growled politely at the curly haired PhD.

" That could be fun, if you were Angela.", Hodgins said with a wink then his grin faded a bit.

Cam regarded him coolly for a moment and felt pity instead of the remark she was about to make, " I'll let you go first."

Jack nodded politely and went about his business. Cam saw Brennan in her office, focused on her computer monitor. She decided to check in on her employee, feeling that this case would be a bit different because of the foster care connection.

Bones didn't look up when Cam leaned against the doorframe about to knock, " Hello Dr. Saroyan."

Cam jumped at Tempe's seemingly unnatural peripheral vision, " Hello Dr. Brennan. How are things going?" Cam hoped the apprehension didn't show in her voice. She was wrong.

" If you are wondering if this case will affect my performance, you can rest your fears.", Brennan gave her a cursory glance.

" Oh, I didn't mean that. I was just being … collegial.", Cam replied, tilting her head slightly.

" I'm fine, thank you.", Tempe replied and Cam took that as a dismissal. She nodded an affirmative and departed writing mental notes to talk to Seeley about this case personally.

Booth didn't call Bones for the foster parent interview later that afternoon. The husband and wife sat, slightly tense, but obviously traumatized in the interrogation room. Sweets was behind the glass trying his utmost best to be as objective as he could being that he was also a product of the foster system. He noticed his tie felt tight, suddenly, and ran a finger around his shirt collar.

Booth stuck his head into the observation room, " Ready to go Sweets?"

Sweets felt a lump in his throat but forced it down, " Yup. Go to it." He hoped his voice didn't convey his uncertainty. Booth withdrew his head and proceeded to the interrogation room, file in hand.

" Mr. and Mrs. Williams?", Booth said as he began to sit down, " I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth. We spoke earlier today." The husband and wife nodded mutely. " I have here your foster daughter's file and I've spoken to Mr. Roosevelt."

The husband opened his mouth to speak and Booth watched him carefully, " That snake Tom! Don't believe a word he says about Emily."

" You said yourself earlier today that she likes to run away.", Booth crossed his arms on the table.

" Yes, but-", the wife said meekly, " He tends to exaggerate Emily's faults."

" How so?", Booth inquired.

" She is missing right now, yes. But she wasn't always like this.", Mr. Williams looked afraid but not for himself, " We like to help as many kids as we can. It has not been uncommon for us to have upwards of six foster children at the house at any time. She happened to be the oldest of them."

" We were really attached to Emily. Then we decided to talk to her and another girl we are fostering, Mary, about adoption.", Mrs. Williams said.

Sweets psychologist radar spiked a reading at this admission and his thoughts must have been parallel to Seeley's thoughts, " Where is Mary now?", he asked cautiously.

" She was with school friends for the long weekend. Our families are very close and it's not unusual for her to spend weekends there, if not a school night or two.", Mr. Williams replied confidently.

Sweets said into the microphone in Seeley's ear, " He's not lying. Ask when they expect her back."

Seeley did so and Mr. Williams replied, " She's coming home this afternoon."

Mrs. Williams looked at her husband with a concerned look, " Why haven't Bill and June called us yet then?" Mr. Williams looked back at his wife and suddenly went pale.

" You don't think….", he trailed off.

Booth stood abruptly and excused himself quickly, hand on cell phone to summons yet another investigative team to check out another possible set of homicides.

Tempe was furious when she arrived at the neighbor's home where Mary had been staying with friends. She was furious that Booth would not have called her right away. She was furious that she wasn't filled in with the new information. She was triple furious when she saw Agent Perotta with Booth picking over the home for evidence.

Tossing her auburn hair over her shoulders, she straightened herself before crossing the threshold of the open front door, neatly avoiding evidence techs busily gathering anything that looked out of the ordinary. She saw the blonde hair and Booth was talking to her, facing her direction. Suddenly, Seeley looked up over Perotta's shoulder and sparks flew from Tempe's eyes.

Rapidly, he paused his conversation and sidestepped Agent Perotta to walk to Bones. Perotta turned and her expression was casual, if not a bit disappointed to see Brennan standing there. " Bones! What are you doing here?", Seeley said genuinely surprised but cautious.

" I don't know. I had an inkling from Hodgins and his police scanner radio that you may be up to something. However, that is just supposition.", Tempe replied with an icy tone.

Seeley winced involuntarily, " There's nothing for you here. No dead bodies. I thought you were busy with the other body, so I didn't want to bother you.", Booth replied.

" Just like you're not dead, hmm?", Tempe said and stepped confidently around him to begin her own investigation. Seeley inhaled a large sigh, hanging his head. He deserved that comment and she knew it.

He turned to follow her, still looking down at the floor hoping if he puppied up himself she'd soften on him, when he heard Perotta and Bones talking. She was filling Tempe in on the situation at hand. He listened carefully but with twist of guilt that Brennan was getting this from Perotta and not him. Tempe was growing to be a great manipulator of the human psyche, he noted wryly.

" Mary was the other foster child in the home with Emily. The Williams' said that it was common for her to stay here because they are such close families. However, they didn't call to let them know Mary was on the way home. We were suspecting a triple homicide, but haven't found any sign of foul play. In fact, we think, at this point, they were just out later than expected.", Perotta filled Tempe in, who listened intensely.

As if on cue, a dark blue Honda minivan attempted to pull up their driveway. A forty-something man hopped out of the car, visibly concerned and angry, " What in the Hades is going on here?"

Booth forgot about the women for a moment and turned towards the voice and man coming up his driveway, " Sir, I'm Special Agent Booth with the FBI." He flashed the badge, " And we are investigating a possible homicide of either Mary or Emily."

" Mary? What's wrong with her?", Bill said, concern suddenly overriding his need to know why the FBI was inside his house without a warrant.

Booth got the idea this was taking a darker turn, " Mr. Williams said she was with you?"

" No. Emily came and got her a two nights ago to take her home. Said she was needed there.", Bill replied now looking confused.

June, Bill's wife approached, also looking worried, " What's wrong? Why are all these police here?"

Bill turned to his wife and said that Mary was missing. A hand flew to her mouth, as a gasp came from her, " Where is she?"

" We don't know, Ma'am.", Booth replied. " Can we talk to you both?"

Tempe let her temper cool a small bit and looked Agent Perotta, " Looks like Booth has his hands full. Shall we look around while we still can?"

" Certainly.", Agent Perotta agreed and looked around curiously. The two women began to systematically sweep the house.

The techs had picked up little and being there was no triple homicide, the two women were not sure what to look for, or if they were even allowed to be looking. Bones stopped in front of the mantle over the fireplace. A cluster of photos were there. She looked intently at them: Bill, June and she guessed their own daughter, about fourteen smiling at Disney World. Another picture: two girls, one from the Disney picture smiling brightly only like two crazy teenaged kids can. Tempe paused as her chest seemed to constrict slightly. She recalled the faded photos of her own childhood stashed between pages in books, locked away in the few actual possessions she did have as she bounced from family to family as she got older or the family's priorities changed.

Tempe was never a "nuisance" child but she certainly felt that way from time to time while under the care of various families. They didn't want to help her with her science projects. They were "too busy" to bring her back to school for extra curricular activities. She didn't even go to her prom; not like she had a date… anyway. She recalled spending a lot of time in the public library, just to pass time and read. Her belly began to knot as only anxiety can do and it took a strange noise to make her snap out of her unpleasant reverie.

A tapping or scraping sound with a faint, "help!" was audible. It sounded like it was coming from upstairs. Agent Perotta was in the dining room, about ten feet away. " Do you hear that?", the blonde agent asked.

" Yes. I sounds like the second or third floor?", Tempe remarked and the two of them found the staircase leading upward.

The home was an old Victorian and the stairs were in the back of the home, suggesting at one time this large house had been staffed by butlers and maids. There was a third floor and the old wooden floors creaked predictably as the pretty hand set stained glass windows caught the early evening sunlight. The home smelled of history and age. Classic art adorned the halls and the décor was typical to this type of house; no garish colors, no sleek or modern furniture. In fact, Tempe recognized this family had a penchant for period antiques.

Agent Perrota drew her gun and held it at the ready. Bones wished she could get one of those herself but they were in a house, not a dungeon full of monsters. Cautiously, they approached what appeared to be a bedroom door where the sounds were emanating. Tempe placed her hand on the solid brass doorknob and tried the mechanism. It opened easily to her and glided on oiled hinges.

Perrota sprung into the room, gun held level at whatever may be inside. A rose wood four poster bed with an English rose bedspread occupied the center of the room and a young woman was lying besides it on the floor. Her mouth taped, but it was peeling off. Her hands were bound behind her as were her ankles Her honey blonde hair was disheveled and she looked up at them afraid and then relieved.

Tempe crouched down next to her and yanked off the tape. The girl whimpered but didn't cry. " Oh thank God! Are the Butlers downstairs?!", the girl asked. Bones assumed that she meant Bill and June.

" Yes, the people who own this home?", Tempe asked.

" Yes. Is Jessica with them?", the girl's voice raised in pitch as Perrota untied her ropes.

" Who is she? Who are you?", Perrota asked.

" She's their daughter. I'm Emily. Emily Burbank.", the teen looked wild eyed as her legs were finally freed, she bolted for the door and down the stairs.

Tempe and the blonde agent looked at each other for a split second. Perrota picked up her radio, " Booth! Catch that kid coming down the stairs!"

The three floors of stairs melted like butter beneath her panicked feet. Leaping practically from landing to landing, Emily bounded for the front door only to be met by a wall of FBI agent. The wind was knocked out of her, but she wasn't sure if it was because she had tackled him or because he was so darn _fine_ looking. Emily looked up at the stern dark gaze of Booth. She gave a sheepish, hopingly sexy, smile as he held her upper arms firmly.

" And where do you think you're going, young lady?", he asked in a low voice.

" Just where I want to be?", she tried to sound seductive. Seeley tried hard not to laugh in her face.

Bones and Perrota came down the stairs behind her, looking cross. The Butler's looked past Booth to see Emily in his grip. " Emily! Why are the police looking for you? Where is Mary?", June asked in a fearful tone.

Tears welled up in Emily's eyes, " He took Mary." It was the only thing she said before burying her face in Seeley's chest. Booth looked down at the weeping teenager and released his grip slightly into a very awkward hug. Emily wrapped her arms around his waist and Perrota rolled her eyes making a gagging look. Brennan simply observed while Booth blushed.

" I think we all need to have Emily get checked out by a hospital and then go down town for a chat.", Perrota suggested strongly as she breezed past the disconcerted teen and her living handkerchief. Bones followed her, barely meeting Seeley's eyes. June and Bill helped peel Emily off Seeley.

Booth escorted them to his SUV so they could take Emily to the hospital for a look over to make sure she was alright. His front passenger seat was empty. Where was Bones? He saw her get into Agent Perrota's car. I wonder what she's mad at me for?, he wondered. No doubt he'd find out soon enough.

On the ride to the hospital, Tempe's phone rang, " Temperance Brennan."

" Sweetie, I have some news.", Angela replied.

" And?", Tempe returned.

" Our little burn victim is in fact Mary Walters. The Williams' other foster daughter.", Angela said with sadness tingeing her voice, " Dental records sealed the deal."

Bones thanked her briefly and hung up. She turned to Payton, " We have an I.D. on the body. It's Mary."

Payton looked at Brennan, " That makes this just that more interesting, hmm?" The rest of the way the two women did not speak.

It was late when the hospital declared Emily healthy. Whoever had tied her up did not assault her in any way, shape or form. That was a relief. The foster parents joined them at the hospital and looked genuinely thankful to see their foster daughter alive and unharmed. Booth was about to let them go home and get a statement first thing the next morning when Agent Perrota stepped in. "She obviously has a high flight risk, from her previous behavior.", she commented dryly, " I really think we should question her, the foster parents and the neighbors tonight."

Booth sized her comment up and replied, " Payton, it's almost ten o'clock. They haven't eaten dinner yet. I think it's ok to release her to her family. Otherwise, we'd have to have CPS do something with her." The thought of calling CPS and Tom Roosevelt was not appealing to Booth right now.

" I feel we can't just let her go either.", Payton replied. Atypically, Brennan remained quiet.

" Well, what are we going to do with her?", Seeley replied becoming agitated. He was hungry and tired and really just wanted a bath with his comic books and a beer.

The two agents locked eyes and attitudes for a moment and then both turned their eyes towards Tempe.

" Me? You want me to take a potential witness and victim of a crime into my care tonight?", she pressed her fingers to her chest, incredulity in her expression.

" Well, Bones, you do have some things in common with her.", Booth said almost timidly. Payton's eyebrows moved upward a small bit.

A storm cloud formed almost instantly in Tempe's eyes and she closed the gap between them in two succinct steps, a finger pointed straight at his chest, which became buried in his pectoral muscle. She was so close to him he could feel her breath on his face and the heat of her temper, " You _**do not**_ have the right to bring up my past in front of people who don't _know_ me. I thought I could trust you more than that."

The color drained from Seeley's face and his eyes lost their light for a moment. He suddenly felt like her finger was a knife in his heart and he deserved it. Payton excused herself and stepped away just out of ear shot, but neither of them heard her. " I… I'm sorry, Bones.", Seeley tried to apologize.

Tempe removed her finger and stepped back slightly, her eyes still accusing him of a great trespass. She took a shaky breath in which betrayed how upset she was and spoke in a low tone, " I'll watch her tonight, if Peyton helps me. But you have some work to do, or should I dig up your past too?"

Seeley swallowed hard. It was these times that he wished he had a rewind button to take those words away. " Okay. Thanks….", he couldn't even bring himself to say her name.

" Agent Perotta, would you like to help me watch our …witness tonight?", Bones turned crisply on her heel away from Seeley.

Peyton was cool as a winter breeze, her eyes sweeping up and down the partners, " Sure. Your place or mine?"

" Mine. We'll take turns with her so we can get some sleep.", Tempe said without a good bye to Booth. Peyton looked briefly over her shoulder as they left and saw a heartbroken Booth standing there, dejectedly staring at the floor. It was awkward, so she averted her eyes quickly and focused on the anthropologist.

Peyton explained quickly and succinctly to the Williams that Emily was going to be with them tonight. Mr. Williams put up a brief protest, but as Peyton reminded them it was either stay with the scientist and FBI agent, or a juvie facility with CPS. He relented and Emily looked shocked.

" Dad!", she played on the word, " You can't let them…" Tears threatened again from the pretty blues.

" Hon, it's for the best. I think you'll be more comfortable with them than at CPS.", he hugged her close, " If you'd only stop running away." He added with a whisper. Emily looked up at him sadly as if she would say it's an addiction she just can't stop.

" Come along, Ms. Burbank.", Peyton placed a firm hand on the teen's shoulder. Emily cast her a resentful look as she released her foster father's embrace. Tempe's expression was stony.

Booth watched them leave and he departed soon after he confirmed an interview time for all involved parties at the FBI headquarters the next day. He was so tired. He had successfully done only one thing today really well; made his partner completely enraged at him. They had worked together long enough that he knew exactly what was wrong. He didn't call her to the scene first, he had Peyton to help. In reality, he didn't want to disturb her work with the first body. But Bones was Bones and she didn't like to be left behind for anything. Secondly, he should not have brought up her foster child past. That was rude and very callous, he recognized. Just because she was a foster kid didn't give her some magic window into this kid's life.

Looking at the dashboard clock it read 11:45pm. The SUV had magically transported him to the diner without him realizing he had driven there. His French fries just didn't taste as good alone as they did with her.

Tempe unlocked the door to her condo and moved aside so the teen and agent could enter. Peyton had to resist the urge to ogle the décor and interior decorating as one woman to another would be prone to do just to see what other folks were creating in their own living space. Instead she focused on the honey tresses of her charge in front of her.

Once they crossed the threshold, Bones shut the front door and set the alarm so that exodus would be impossible without someone knowing. Emily turned when she heard the chime. She smiled a sly smile like an alien was about to show itself from within its host. " I've spent time in houses with alarms.", she said simply.

" So?", Peyton said leveling a look at the teen. She placed her hands on her hips, exposing the pistol in its holster under her coat.

" Oh nothin'. Just a comment.", Emily cast her eyes about the place, while Tempe kept a wary eye on her. Brennan knew this kind of girl. She remembered them from her tenure as a ward of the state. The ultimate street wise girl who was clever enough to work both sides of the line both the legal and illegal.

" You'll sleep here on the couch tonight. The bathroom is over there and I have extra toiletries for you.", Tempe said evenly not betraying the hurt she still felt from Booth's words and conduct.

" Thanks.", the teen replied and flopped herself ungracefully onto the couch, " And where will you two be?"

" We'll take turns guarding you.", Tempe replied matter-of-factly.

" Guarding! Wow, sounds like a job for your totally sweet looking friend.", Emily leered, " He smelled _great_. I could feel his hard abs… whew! I'd love to be guarded by him." She looked off as in mocking reverie.

Peyton, who had scene and heard many things as an FBI agent, was shocked at this girl's overt badgering of them. Brennan took it more in stride but was firm, " You have a tendency to run away. If you continue to act this way, this is what you shall receive."

" Like, is this lady for real?", Emily looked at Peyton but hiked a thumb at Tempe.

" Deadly real, kid. Now lets scrub up for bed.", Peyton hoped she sounded scarier than she felt. This kid was a piece of work.

Emily hopped up sullenly, " Yes mother." She trudged off in the direction of the bathroom. Peyton kept a constant eye on the door.

" There's no window in there.", Tempe remarked.

" Still, I don't trust her.", Peyton replied, " Think she murdered Mary?"

" I don't make conjectures. I gather facts.", Tempe reminded her. Peyton rolled her eyes when Brennan looked away.

Emily reappeared shortly after, smelling of toothpaste and her face was washed. She reassumed her sprawled position on the couch and grabbed one of the blankets Brennan had laid out for her, " So who goes first?"

The two women looked at each other and Tempe spoke, " I'm a… night bird. I'll go first."

Peyton looked at her quizzically; Emily screwed up her face like Tempe was crazy, " The expression is 'night owl' Dr. Brennan.", Peyton replied and moved off towards the guest bedroom.

That comment and who it was delivered by cut Tempe. Booth was supposed to say things like that. Not her. Emily watched the agent leave and then turned her hard eyes on the anthropologist. Thankfully, Emily actually waited for Peyton to be out of the room before she spoke plainly, " You're in love."

Brennan snapped her head around to Emily like a cobra, an angry light in her eyes. Her hackles rose on her neck just like they used to when she was 15 and challenge by some bully or some other girl in the group home before they went out to be fostered. For once, Emily was caught off guard feeling like she bit of a bit more than she could chew.

" You know nothing about me.", Bones said in a low, deadly voice.

Emily swallowed her bravado and shrank back a bit. A moment or two passed before she could summon the nerve to speak, " I'm sorry."

Bones sized the apology up and said gruffly, " Accepted."

More time passed. The clock was 11:45pm. Tempe wondered what Booth was doing right then. She took a large breath and looked at Emily, exhaling some of her tension, " I was in foster care too, you know."

Emily's expression perked up, " You were?"

" Yes. I have an appreciation for your situation.", Brennan said neutrally.

" Well, I've been in love. I can appreciate your situation too.", Emily said trying to sound wiser than her years.

Bones smiled slightly at her attempt to be so brave but her tone was bitter, " And what would a sixteen year old girl know about love?"

" A lot more than you, obviously.", came the snap reply from Emily, " I'm 17 by the way."

Tempe took the blow and became quiet for a time again. Finally she spoke as she saw the clock at midnight. " Go to sleep now. You'll need your rest."

" Ok.", Emily agreed and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders and turning into the pillow. Tempe turned off the light and sat in the dark with her own demons.

A light touch woke Tempe. She startled awake and realized that she had slept in her front room chair with the ottoman all night. Her head looked left and right panicked , thinking Emily had bolted during the night. Instead, Peyton standing and Emily on the couch regarded her with slightly amused expressions. " Good morning Dr. Brennan.", Peyton said smoothly.

Brennan caught her breath. She hated being startled out of deep sleep and the realized her neck was aching from her sleeping arrangements. " What time is it?", she replied.

" About 6 am. I woke Emily up early so we can get a start on things, fresh.", Peyton replied and the teen looked very grumpy to be up at this hour.

" Excellent idea.", Bones replied rising and feeling her own bones protest how she slept last night.

" Do you have any coffee?", Peyton asked.

" Yes, just push the button on the coffee maker. It should be ready.", Tempe replied and rubbed her eyes.

Emily leaned in and said in a soft voice, " You were talking in your sleep last night."

Tempe's eyes became wide with surprise then she checked herself, "I'm sure nothing interesting. I don't give much credit to the subconscious."

Emily's eyes slitted and she folded her arms across her chest, " It was a man's name. You said it several times."

Tempe stood up straighter and tried to look as imposing as she could, " That, young lady, is none of your bees wax."

" It's 'business', not bees wax.", Perotta replied reentering the room, " That expression hasn't been used in over twenty years. What is nobody's business?"

Tempe cut her most intimidating look and flashed it at Emily who looked like a Cheshire cat, " Absolutely nothing. I'm taking a shower."

Peyton looked at the teen and Emily shrugged her shoulders with a glint in her eye. She decided she would find out what was up sooner or later.

The interrogation room was gloomy as ever. Sweets perched on a tall chair riffling through the case notes while he was waiting for the first round of questioning. Let's see, he thought to himself, Mary Walters. Age 15, which surprised Cam and Angela when the intern du jour pronounced her age this morning via cell phone in the car as Perotta and Bones brought their reluctant teen in. Tempe had listened to his line of evidence and she concurred. Of course, they also had her case file from CPS, which made the age via skeleton irrelevant. What had surprised the team was how petite she was for her age. Sweets chalked it up to possible malnourishment as a young child. She had only been under CPS cover for the last six years. He turned his attention to Emily Burbank. Her file was very thick. Seems she couldn't keep a family to save her life. Sweets flinched involuntarily. Some families you didn't want to keep. She had some typical "bad kid" behaviors. Shop lifting here and there, a few curfew violations and truancy from school. He stopped; drugs?

Possession and use of a few joints it appeared. A few more references of hanging out with folks using, but she was clean those times. He whistled silently to himself. This young lady sure was on a one way track to trouble unless she got herself under control. She was also 17, one year away from being "aged out" of foster care. Could she kill?, he asked himself looking out of the window into the empty room. He'd have to wait and see.

Booth had a steaming cup of Duncan Donuts coffee in his hand. He had called early to Bones after Peyton had called his cell phone at 7:00 am. He let that call go to voice mail. He had nothing to say to her, but that let them know they were awake. Seeley asked if they'd like to meet at the diner for breakfast because there was some time to kill between then and the first questioning. She declined tersely and it was clear she was still angry. He meekly said he'd see her at the FBI office and she simply hung up. So morning nutrition took its form as a bag of doughnut holes and caffeine.

Swallowing the hot liquid while pulling into his parking spot at the headquarters gave him a bit of time to consider how he was going to get into her good graces again. After all these years, his mind drew a blank and that hurt his soul. He should know better. What a way to start a wonderful day of interrogating two families and a teenager about the murder of another?

The Williams' showed up bright and early for their 8:00 am appointment and the Butlers were not far behind. Seeley was as a gracious host as he could be and commandeered two cubicles for the respective families so they would not talk to each other, potentially damaging testimony.

Perotta and Tempe used the FBI entrance on the side of the building and came in to the work area from a different direction so Emily only caught a glimpse of her foster parents before being shuttled into the interrogation room. She looked around at the sound absorbing tiles as if curious about their shape and texture. Emily took a seat and Perotta sat across from her. Bones remained standing for the moment, watching the door, waiting for Seeley to appear.

Sweets noticed how Tempe held herself. She was tight, as if she were a piano with the strings pulled too tight. He could see slight circles under her eyes, signs she didn't sleep well. When Booth entered, he was further intrigued because Tempe tried to act as if he were not there, which only accentuated how much she was aware of his presence.

Seeley came in the door and walked briskly to the other side of the table, near Peyton. Emily cast dreamy looks at him, almost draping herself across the table. Peyton thought to herself, why not just strip and offer yourself to him on the table you shameless hussy?

He looked at Tempe, still standing and noticed there was only one empty chair. " Can I get you a chair, Dr. Brennan?", he said hoping his use of her full name would catch her attention.

She barely batted an eye as she stood near the end of the table, " No thank you." Peyton noted this coolly.

Booth cleared his throat, as if embarrassed, and sat next to Perotta, but far enough away as not to look too comfortable. He placed her file on the table in front of him, still trying not to look at the fawning teen while the love of his life stood just a few feet away radiating penetrating waves of anger.

Finally, he looked up at the blue eyed, tawny haired teen. Emily locked eyes with him and gave him her best flirtatious look. Seeley felt sick to his stomach. He inhaled to clear his thoughts and then spoke, " Ms. Burbank, where were you about four days ago?"

Emily looked thoughtful for about a nanosecond and said, " Wishing I was with you?"

Seeley absorbed some of the anger waving off Bones and channeled it at Emily as if it were some superpower, " Emily, let me be blunt. Mary is dead. We think you killed her. Where were you four days ago?" His hand flicked a picture of Mary's body in the back yard, charred lightly and partially decomposed at Emily for reinforcement.

Emily's pretty mouth hung open and her eyes went wide. She pushed back from the table, still shocked looking. Peyton watched her as cool as a cucumber. Sweets scribbled notes. That was an effective move, he thought.

" I…. She's dead?", Emily stammered, tears glistening in her eyes.

" Yes.", Bones and Seeley said simultaneously. They both quickly looked at each other and then away.

The teen seemed to get herself together, " I was at a friends house."

" What friend?", Peyton asked.

" I… well… ok. I took Mary to the Butlers on Thursday night. She was going to stay there till Sunday.", Emily said weakly, eyes riveted on the photo.

" And where did you go?", Booth asked her.

" I was with a friend.", Emily said, now defensive.

" Do your foster parents know this 'friend'", Peyton followed up.

Emily cast her eyes to the floor, " He's my boyfriend. They don't know him and wouldn't approve, I'm sure." Her tone was bitter. Sweets scribbled furiously on his note pad.

Peyton leaned forward on her elbows, " And who is this lucky young man?"

Emily began to sulk in a teen aged way and she was barely audible," Jeff Banks."

" Thank you. I am sure he can verify your alibi?", Booth asked.

" Yes.", she replied softly looking at the floor.

" So your foster parents had no idea you were out carousing with this Jeff boy?", Tempe finally spoke up, her voice soft but cold.

Emily's eyes raised to Tempe's, " No. And I don't think they'd care either. They only care about—" She stopped suddenly and her mouth clamped shut.

Sweets sat up straighter, watching.

" Care about who? The younger children?", Bones slipped in the verbal knife.

" No, the checks. The state foster checks.", Emily said sullenly as if she was embarrassed.

Peyton and Booth looked at each other. Seeley even stole a quick glance at Bones, but she didn't look at him. She was still focused on the teen. " I think we're done here, for now. I strongly suggest you don't go anywhere for the next few days. ", Seeley stood, flipping the folder closed with one hand.

Peyton stood as well, " I'll go get the Williams'."

Emily looked uncertain for a moment, almost like a little girl, "What about me?"

Tempe felt her heart soften for a brief second as she pondered putting the kid up for a few more nights. This kid was a pain in the butt, but there was something about her that Bones found intriguing, " You don't want to go home? Are you afraid of being abused?"

" No. But I know they won't be happy with me. Could I stay with you again?", Emily asked with genuine feeling for a change.

Seeley and Peyton looked at Tempe, surprise on Perotta's face, admiration on Seeley's. Brennan took a deep breath in letting some of her anger dissipate, " Yes, but I have rules."

Emily's face broke out in a large grin as she hopped up from the table, briefly glancing at the photo of Mary still on the table, " Thank you."

" Don't thank me yet.", Brennan replied and gestured to the door.

Sweets sat behind the glass, shocked.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams entered the interrogation room and quietly sat down. Agent Perotta and Bones had left with Emily leaving Booth and Sweets to conduct this questioning. They looked drawn, pale and genuinely shook up. Sweets noticed this and jotted it down carefully from behind the mirrored glass. Seeley cast a look at the window quickly to signal they were ready to begin.

" Mr. Williams, how long has Emily and Mary been in your care?", Seeley asked neutrally.

" Emily has been with us for the past 13 months. Mary was with us longer. About two and a half years.", Mr. Williams replied.

" And in that time, you mentioned before that Emily liked to run away?", Seeley responded, writing a few notes.

" Yes.", Mr. Williams replied.

" Were you aware of Emily's use of drugs and a boy in her life?", Seeley said, his eyes meeting both foster parents.

The spouses looked at each other, a bit shocked, and Mrs. Williams responded, " We were generally aware of her casual attitude towards pot. As for the boy, no we were not aware."

Sweets watched her carefully and decided that was not exactly true, " As the dad if he knows that kids' name."

Seeley heard the request in the ear piece and repeated it casually, " Does the name Jeff Banks ring a bell?"

Mr. Williams' face colored in the cheeks and it was visible he was upset about the name. Mrs. Williams took one look at her husband and again denied knowing the name.

"They're lying.", Sweets affirmed to Seeley.

Booth decided to take a new track, " Mr. Roosevelt tells me you've been foster parents for a long time."

Mr. Williams sat up a bit straighter, his blood pressure reducing, " Yes. For over twenty years."

" That is very patient of you both. What a sacrifice.", Booth replied.

" It's been a worthwhile challenge. We have foster children who are college graduates, married…. Even have foster-grand kids!", Mrs. Williams piped up.

" That is quite an accomplishment. What does the state reimburse you for your hard work and time?", Seeley said spinning his pen on the table.

Again the spouses looked at each other. Sweets decided these folks were either horrible liars or were extremely nervous. He was not sure which one yet.

" Enough to make ends meet.", Mr. Williams replied slightly suspicious, " Did Emily say something?"

Seeley looked him dead in the eye and responded, " No. Just the common reality that some callings in life do not seem to get their just compensation." Sweets liked that turn that Booth added and decided that something was not quiet right about the finances of this situation.

" You said you discussed adoption with Mary and Emily?", Booth moved on.

" Yes. We are… were very attached to Mary. We care a lot about Emily too.", Mrs. Williams replied with a sad note in her voice.

" Does the state give any extra money to kids who are difficult to place and close to 18?", Booth came back.

" What are you getting at, Agent Booth? Do you think we murdered our foster daughter? If so, that would make no sense! Emily is closer to 18 than Mary was!", Mr. Williams retorted, his face coloring again against his salt and pepper hair.

His wife placed her hand on his forearm to calm him and then looked at Booth, " Yes. There occasionally is some… incentive… to take the harder and older children." Her husband hushed her but she put up her palm to keep him quiet, " It's not considered… 'official' you know, but it looks good to the social workers case docket. We were considering our options with Emily and Mary. But we did not kill Mary. Honest truth."

Booth leaned back in his chair and surveyed the couple. It was refreshing to get some honesty in this room every once in a while and he had a gut feeling these folks would not harm a hair on any foster child's head no matter how difficult they were.

Speaking of guts, Seeley's told him the morning had passed quite quickly and lunch approached. He thought of Tempe and what was she doing for lunch? His reverie was cut short when he heard Sweets voice in his ear asking if things were done. Blinking, he looked at the Williams' and said they'd be in touch and than you for coming in. They said the same and left the interrogation room. Sweets came in through the door once they had departed down the hallway.

" They may be taking money under the table from CPS, but they didn't murder anyone.", Sweets said excitedly, sitting down at the table. Booth seemed lost somewhere. " Agent Booth?", Sweets snapped his fingers in front of his eyes. Seeley sat up and looked at Lance.

" Oh… yeah. I can see that. Emily mentioned someone taking Mary from the Butlers. And who tied her up? I forgot that bit this morning. We'll need her back after I talk to the Butler family", Seeley said straightening papers.

" And then where do you want lunch?", Sweets said trying to invite himself.

" I think about that later.", Seeley said. He wanted some alone time with Bones, although now that she was babysitting a suspect, he wasn't sure he'd get it.

" Ok then.", Lance said slightly defeated, " I'll go back in the closet."

Booth smirked to himself in a private joke about Sweets and the closet.

The Butlers had no extra information about the Williams and Emily and Mary, except to say they were home for most of the weekend, except for a small window Thursday night where they both went out on a 'date' night, leaving the two girls, their daughter and Mary, home alone. Emily came to get Mary on Friday night, two days before she was going home. Booth put two and two together that the Williams were in the dark about the whereabouts of Mary, thinking she was with the Butlers the whole time. All this made his head hurt and his stomach was rumbling even more.

Seeley waved goodbye to Sweets in the window and exited before the shrink could grab him in conversation. On the way to his office, he dialed Brennan's cell phone. It went to voicemail. He felt silly because he never had to leave many voicemails on her phone but he invited her to lunch anyway. Hanging up, he felt more down than he had in a while. Then again, it looked like this case was going to have to be solved before he got some time to patch things up with his partner.

Instead of venturing out, he ate lunch in the office dining hall, courtesy of the FBI food service. He had a pad of paper and pen with him trying to straighten everything out. He came up with the timeline as he chewed his roast beef sandwich absently, wishing they had some spicy mustard.

Thursday night, Emily and Mary go to the Butlers house. Mary is dropped off. Emily disappears. Mary is picked up Friday night by Emily unbeknownst to the foster parents. Mary is not seen until Sunday morning, in the back yard. So when was she killed? Why was she decomposed as much as she was?

There was only one answer: he had to talk to the squints.

Booth was still unnerved that Bones had not returned his call. He could call Peyton because she was with them, but he thought twice. He didn't want that small personal contact to spark any inspirations on her part about something outside of work. There was one last source of information for all things Tempe: Angela.

He scrolled through his contacts on his cell, knowing at some time in the past he'd called Angela directly so he should have her number. He found it and hit 'talk'. The phone rang only once before the friendly and slightly sultry voice of Angela was heard on the other side, " Hello Special Agent. Calling to beg Tempe's forgiveness?"

Seeley swallowed involuntarily and he felt his cheeks color, " No. Not exactly. I just wanted to know where she was."

Angela chuckled, " She's at work of course."

" The Jeffersonian?", Booth asked before he realized his voice betrayed his eagerness to know her location and how stupid it made him sound.

Another chuckle from Angela, deep and mirthful, " Of course, silly super agent. Where else?"

" Is Emily with her?", Booth replied, trying to regain his composure.

" That little trampy thing? Yes. Jack finds her fascinating.", Angela's tone changed abruptly and was dripping with venom.

It was Booth's turn to smile, " I hope Peyton is there too to keep the peace."

" Oh yes. The ice princess is present. She's been keeping the foster creature safe and out of Tempe's hair for now. We're looking for time of death and cause.", Angela returned to her business tone.

" Excellent. I'll be there in a few moments.", Booth replied eagerly and was about to hang up before Angela's voice caught him.

" You better bring flowers, or candy or… something. Tempe is still hot at you. If I have to tell her you're coming, she may just split before you get here.", Angela's voice was slightly wistful. Tempe had told her why she was mad at Booth and she didn't want this discord to continue much longer. It made working with Brennan that much more difficult, but more than anything it didn't help Angela's hopes that her best friend would wake up to the knight in shining armor at her door.

" Thanks for the heads up Angela.", Booth said, his voice growing sad again before hanging up.

The Jeffersonian was uncharacteristically quiet, although everyone was present and working busily. That could only mean one thing: the Queen of the Lab was not happy. Even Cam was subdued when she met Seeley at the base of the stairs, her arms folded across her chest.

" How's it going, Seeley?", she asked him eye brow raised.

" If you're asking me what I did to tick her off, let's just say I was wrong. I have some makeup to do.", he said gruffly.

" No… not really. But good to know you know when to admit when you're in the dog house.", she smiled sweetly at him as they stepped up the stairs together.

Booth hoped that he'd see her in her plain blue lab coat, bent gracefully over the body, full of science and knowledge and beauty. But she wasn't. He glanced over through the tall windows of her office and she wasn't there either with the soft lamplight accenting her auburn hair. Where was she?

Angela came around the corner her face telling all. She approached Seeley as he leaned against the exam table where the almost miniature bones of Mary Walters rest. " She split, Booth. Sorry.", Angela said, her eyes dark with a bit of gloom.

" Is Peyton with her?", Booth said quickly, his eyes becoming fearful.

" No, actually. She went back to the FBI headquarters about fifteen minutes ago.", Angela saw his eyes spark concern so she reached out to him, "Sweetie, she's a big girl. She's with a teenager."

Seeley tried to smile but his hackles rose, " Yeah. I know, but this kid could be a killer."

" Well, let me tell you what we know so we can help you get back in her good graces.", Angela took Booths' elbow in her hand and lead him to a computer terminal. Cam stood behind them noticing his tension. Jack popped up like a gopher from his cubicle and made sure the coast was clear before he ventured out to join them.

" First of all, that boyfriend of our suspect is a local dealer.", Angela snorted and Seeley wasn't surprised, " Apparently she has a thing for the bad boys. Yes, he was picked up already and had his alibi checked out for when Emily was with him. It's fairly solid.", Angela popped up another screen, " Cause of death, strangulation. Pretty straightforward, no suspicious details about that. Probable weapon, rope."

" Why was she so decomposed?", Booth asked hoping that may help to narrow down some details.

Hodgins piped up, " She was taken from her murder scene and placed somewhere very warm and moist for at least one day. That gave the bugs and bacteria some extra time to do their work."

" The burning?", Booth asked, getting into the details.

" We think that the killer got nervous, or was trying to send a message to the foster family so they moved her to the yard and torched her because they were impatient.", Cam finished off, her voice like cool, calm water in this tumultuous situation.

" Interesting.", Booth looked at his watch, " It was a little past two and he felt lost without Bones to make a suggestion into what their next move should be. Where was his gut instinct? Did she take it with her or had he gotten too complacent, he wondered to himself.

" Dude?", Jack interrupted his daydream.

" Don't call me 'dude'. I'll be in my office if Bones comes back with any details.", Seeley turned away from the squint squad and descended the stairs.

Angela watched him go, eyebrows raised in amazement and said to no one in particular, " Wow. He's lost."

Cam and Jack looked at her. "Couldn't have said it better.", Cam agreed and then returned to their casework.

Angela had just finished talking to Booth on the phone when she felt the presence of Tempe behind her. " He called didn't he?", she asked her.

Angela rotated around in her chair to find the fierce raptor-like expression of a furious Tempe. She flexed backwards in her desk chair, " Sweetie…"

" Don't 'sweetie' me, Ange. He called didn't he?", Tempe replied folding her arms across her chest.

" Yes. So what? Can't I talk to Booth? Not like you have a corner market on him or anything.", Angela pouted hoping to laugh Brennan out of her mood.

" He's coming here, isn't he?", Brenan didn't bite.

" Yes. So? He's part of the investigation too, isn't he? Or has Peyton Perotta become your new partner?", Angela shot back, her dark brown eyes growing storm clouds of her own.

Tempe glared at her and held her tongue. She turned abruptly and walked out of Angela's office. Angela rolled her eyes heavenward and pleaded silently, " Why me?"

Brennan tracked Emily and Perotta down in the Jeffersonian. They were both admiring a display of gemstones in the Hall of Minerals. The Hope Diamond was prominently displayed at the center of the room, rotating slowly under bright halogen lights to accent the natural beauty and artistry of the world's largest blue diamond. The pair looked up as Tempe approached as if her angst were a pressure wave announcing her arrival.

" Emily. Would you like to take a drive?", Tempe asked, trying to sound inviting. It was hard.

" Uh… sure. Where we going?", Emily asked. Peyton wondered the same thing.

" Well, I suppose that Agent Perotta has work of her own to get to and I am finished up for the day. Plus, you're staying with me tonight anyway. We can get an early dinner. I know a great Thai restaurant.", Brennan again tried the cheerful tone.

Peyton took her comments in with a surveying look, " I can go back to the office, if you like. Thanks."

" No problem.", Brennan returned as Peyton said goodbye and moved away.

Emily turned to Bones, " Ok, now that the cop is gone what do you really want?"

Tempe was slightly stunned by the change in tone, " Nothing. Really. Do you know much about the Hope Diamond?" She moved towards the center display. Emily followed her out of curiosity both for the stone and for the PhD.

" No. Never heard of it.", Emily remarked as the display rotated slowly towards their view. The diamond was not overly large, but a deep steely blue, not completely unlike Brennan's eyes. It was circled by sixteen white diamonds which caught the light like a fistful of stardust and flung it back at their eyes as a dazzling display.

" It was first recorded in history in 1668. Over the next 341 years it's had numerous owners. It even has an urban legend that it is cursed.", Tempe admired the gemstone. She rarely got to enjoy the other wonders of the Jeffersonian because of her work load. Slowly, she realized she needed to get out more.

" What kind of curse?", Emily said becoming spellbound by the alluring gem.

" It is said that anyone who possesses the stone will die. Great tragedy happened to the last private owner of the stone before it became part of the collection.", Tempe said in almost a hypnotic tone. Sometimes she felt like the diamond; alone in a glass box. No one touched her, she touched no one and she was alone.

"It's pretty. I can see why people would kill for it.", Emily remarked almost sagely.

" Yes, but it's just a thing.", Brennan replied as the gem turned back towards them in the case.

" People have killed for less.", Emily said running an her hands up and down her arms as if she felt a chill. Tempe noticed this from the corner of her eye and filed it away.

" Let's grab something to eat?", she asked the teen.

" Sure. I'm not so sure I like Thai.", Emily replied.

" Just wait. You'll see.", Tempe responded and they left the Hall of Gems.

The car ride was uneventful to the restaurant and they brought home enough dishes to feed a small army. Emily was acting as if this was the best field trip she had ever been on and claimed she wanted try everything. Tempe obliged her figuring a well fed teen was a content teen less likely to sneak out on her.

Brennan unlocked the door to her condo and instinctively looked around carefully. It had become a habit from her job where occasionally unwanted guests had tried to make themselves at home in her abode for various reasons. Coast was clear so she invited Emily in. Her arms were full of great smelling food and she had to rush to the kitchen before she dropped a bag.

Tempe showed Emily where the plates and silver wear were to be found so she set the table quickly and efficiently. Bones noted this and wondered which foster family had instilled that habit in her either through kindness or other means. Once they were seated, spoonfuls of delightful looking pad thai came out, Khanom chin namya and Khao pad filling their plates, steaming upward to the overhead light making delicate swirls of vapor.

After a few bites, Emily decided she would become have to add Thai food to her Facebook profile as a favorite. " What is Facebook?", Tempe asked her, perplexed.

Emily looked at her queerly and then corrected her bad manners, " It's a networking website where people meet and talk. They keep in touch."

" I've never heard of it.", Tempe replied piling up her fork with noodles.

" You don't get out much eh?", Emily asked between bites.

Bones chewed thoughtfully and slightly annoyed at that honest, yet cheeky sounding, remark, " No. I guess I don't."

" That's ok. I don't either.", Emily replied with a slight pained look in her eyes.

" Odd coming from a kid who runs away.", Tempe shot back. Emily cast her a disgruntled look.

" I don't have to explain myself to you.", Emily said, the hard edge coming back into her voice.

" No you don't. But you have to owe up for your actions.", Tempe replied academically.

" What do you know about actions? You can't even fix your relationship, which is obviously a huge train wreck.", Emily grasped for straws against this woman she barely knew. She could see love though when she saw it and that hunkie FBI agent had it bad for this… lady.

Bones stared at her briefly and put another forkful in her mouth. She still felt the anger simmering in her core at Booth but the other part of her felt lost, adrift. Revenge was not her thing and her dish of it was growing cold indeed.

" How old were you when you entered foster care?", Bones changed the subject.

Emily finished chewing her food and casually replied as if she was answering a 'what you in here for?' jail question, " I was thirteen. My dad ran off and mom found a great new life somewhere else."

" I was fifteen. My brother dropped me off and walked away.", Tempe replied in an equally street-wise tone.

" You're parents not have the guts?", Emily said.

" No. My mom was dead. My father is—complicated.", Tempe said quietly.

" He abuse you?", Emily said frankly.

The question caught Tempe off guard but she answered strongly, " No. Absolutely not."

" No wonder you can't commit.", Emily said leaning back in her chair, fork dangling from her fingertips like she was hosting a talk show.

" Excuse me?", Bones said leaning in, her eyes sharpening their glint.

" I totally get it. Parents gone, brother abandons you… men just don't add up for you. Are you lesbian?", Emily said bluntly.

" Pardon me!?", Tempe said trying hard to keep her mouth from falling open.

" I guess not. Anyway, whatever you got with F-ine B-ody I-n the suit, I suggest you get it straight or in some therapy or…. _Something_!", Emily declared as if she were on 'Oprah'.

Tempe was flabbergasted at this kid's impertinence but she responded anyway, " We already have a therapist."

" Well see! I told you!", Emil replied as if she had just vindicated her diagnosis.

" Let's clean up and head to bed. We have a long day tomorrow.", Tempe said quietly and began picking up cartons. Emily took the hint and chipped in but felt a bit closer to this intelligent, beautiful woman and a bit inspired too.

Morning arrived and Tempe had to see Booth because they were reconvening for the case. Emily was sent back to school, being that it was a Wednesday, and she had one heck of an excused note. Before she could leave the presence of the FBI, however, Peyton had a house arrest bracelet fastened around the teen's ankle. When the foster parents and Emily protested, Peyton produced a court document stating Emily was obviously a high flight risk and still considered a person of considerable interest to the case. " Sounds like one step away from suspect.", she had complained as the device was strapped to her ankle.

" Not yet. Unless you haven't told us something you'd like to.", Booth had replied watching the procedure.

" I'd tell you whatever you wanted to hear.", she coyly replied, pushing her desirable parts towards him and Seeley felt ill again.

" Just get to class and tell your friends it's not the latest teen accessory.", Peyton cleared the air and sent the girl off with her guardians for school.

Tempe had stayed back out of the conversation, near the wall. When she saw Booth, she felt tiny bubbles of anger again but as she kept watching him move, talk, even just breathe, her temper began to subside. She still wasn't 100% comfortable yet though.

As Emily was being fitted with her tracking device, Booth was aware Bones was watching him and it gave him strange butterflies in his stomach, like a middle school kid exchanging furtive glances with a crush. He hadn't said hello to her yet this morning. He did need to work with her today. He had a surprise, but it was going to require her help and he wasn't sure if she was done being furious at her. Well, two can play, so he kept his distance until the business with the kid was done. Now that Emily was gone, he could approach the black widow of her irritation and hope that she was in a receptive mood.

" Good morning Bones.", he said, minus the charm smile but a pleasant expression. He didn't want to come off insincere.

Bones looked at him evenly, reading him, " Hello. Have a good night?"

" Sure. Not too bad. I missed you yesterday afternoon.", he tried not to, but his voice softened on the word '_missed_'. Brennan tried not to blush and quickly looked away then back shifting her weight uncomfortably.

" Yes, it was unfortunate that we didn't see each other. You spoke with Angela?", Tempe tried to sound business-like.

" Yeah. She and the team filled me in. It would have been nice to get your… input.", Booth replied rubbing the back of his neck. He could feel a headache coming on from this rift in their relationship.

" Sorry. I was bonding with my new best friend, Emily, the_ other_ foster child.", Brennan's temper lashed out at him. It was like a fiery whip cracking the air.

Booth's eyes widened at the attack, " Hey now… let's put away the talons there!"

Brennan's eyes burned bright but when she saw he didn't try to fight back, she blinked and realize how harsh she sounded, " I'm sorry.", she breathed in, " I'm still upset you leaked my personal life in front of Peyton."

" No. I should be apologizing. That was callous of me.", he reached his hands out with the expression. Tempe took the unintended invitation and hugged him tightly so glad to be reconciled with this magically important man in her life.

Seeley embraced her and it felt like that missing part, that vital component of his soul, was back. It was a heavenly sensation. He looked down at her, stroking her hair, gently. Her eyes were closed but her head turned upwards, just close enough to kiss her berry tinted lips.

" Ahem.", a voice startled them. Bones and Booth broke apart as if a lightening bolt had flung them apart. Peyton was standing near the door part of her obscured by it.

" Ever heard of knocking?", Booth shot at his fellow FBI agent, trying not to sound too annoyed. Brennan straightened her shirt pretending nothing happened like a cat does when embarrassed.

" Oh, I wasn't here long. Anyway… we have a location for Mr. Banks.", Peyton brushed off the brusque request smoothly with a twinkle in her eye and then disappeared back behind the door.

" Want to pay a visit to a suspect, Bones?", Booth asked, rubbing his hands together as if he were about to sit down to a hearty meal.

" Who? The drug dealer boyfriend?", Brennan perked up but still recalling the solid presence she had just felt under her hands and the beating heart she had been listening to.

" The very same.", Seeley replied eagerly.

" Let's shake.", she said picking up her things.

" The expression is ' Let's roll.', Bones.", Seeley told her gently.

" Whatever.", she replied nonplussed. Booth was wondering how much of that teen had rubbed off on Tempe in the last 48 hours.

Jeff Banks lived, strangely, not on the seedy side of town. In fact he lived a short distance from the Williams' home. He was twenty one and had an apartment in a tidy, smaller complex. The black SUV skulked up to the unit and Seeley cut the ignition. He looked at his partner and was so happy to see that passenger seat filled with her again.

" We're just here for a follow-up to our original questioning. He has an alibi for the time of the murder. I want to look for any marijuana growing equipment. Jack said Mary was someplace wet and warm. That is perfect pot growing conditions.", Booth briefed Tempe.

" No problem. I have done extensive research into the effects of social drugs.", Brennan replied.

Booth's eyebrows shot up in mock-surprise, " You, Bones?"

Tempe's furrowed her brows trying to see where he was coming from then she got the joke, " No, I have never used! Of course not! I did research on South American tribes and how they use mind altering drugs in their ritual worship." She punched him lightly in the arm.

" Uh huh. That's what all the squints say…. For research purposes only!", Booth laughed at her as he got out of the car quickly. He didn't want her hitting him again.

They squinted against the daylight and proceeded to the door. Seeley did a quick knock on the door. A noise was heard inside then many locks being undone. The partners exchanged a look; obviously whoever was inside wanted to keep something safe.

The door cracked a peak and a clean shaven; brown eyed man appeared on the other side, " Can I help you?" His voice was clear and even but Booth's gut told him something just wasn't right.

Seeley stepped up a bit, as if to defend Bones, badge in hand, " Jeff Banks? Seeley Booth, FBI."

Brennan felt a bit annoyed he was standing in front of her, not letting her see the potential suspect fully. The man didn't flinch or show any hint that something was amiss when he replied, "Yes, that's me. How can I help you." Brennan decided this was not your typical drug dealer.

" We'd like to ask you some more questions if you don't mind.", Tempe interjected, lightly pushing Booth aside. Seeley frowned at her but she paid him no attention. The man smiled pleasantly at her and she wondered how fast he was undressing her in his mind.

" No problem. Please come in.", Jeff moved the door open and the partners entered.

The place was clean, tidy and into a Crate and Barrel modernist style. Tempe noted the cool colors and clean lines of the furniture. Nothing hot or moist here for growing. Jeff showed them a seat in the front room and asked if they wanted a beverage. They both declined. When Jeff sat on his angular dark brown couch, Seeley sat as well but kept his weight balanced carefully on the balls of his feet feeling the need to jump up. Tempe remained standing, gazing coolly around the apartment admiring details.

" Mr. Banks, we're investigating the death of a foster child and we have some follow up questions.", Seeley said very business like.

" Mary. Of course I knew why you're here. Ask away; I have nothing to hide.", there was a tinge of appropriate remorse in his voice and he eased back in the couch.

" Yes, we're aware of your alibi. We actually wanted to look more at how well you knew Emily, her foster-sister.", Tempe said turning on her heel to meet his brown eyes with her sparking blue ones.

Jeff swallowed and casually threw an arm over the couch back crossing his legs at the knee, " Emily and I were an item you might say."

" You were sleeping together?", Booth pressed.

" Yes.", Jeff replied with a bit of wistfulness.

" And you also provided her with marijuana.", Seeley followed up.

" I made that mistake yes and I've done my debt to society for that.", Jeff said tilting his head to the right.

" Emily was going to be off the foster care roll soon. Did you two have plans together?", Tempe asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Jeff thought for a moment and then rubbed his chin with his free hand, " We talked about it briefly. I'm a young man, not ready to settle down but she'd be nice to have around the house."

Seeley resisted the urge to punch this guy in the face, so flippant was his tone that he could imagine Emily chained barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. He resisted but Tempe saw his jaw muscles tense. " Did Emily believe she was going to come to live with you after she turned 18?", he said instead.

" Perhaps.", Jeff answered.

" Were you aware that Emily's family was getting extra money from the social worker?", Seeley said getting his emotions back under control.

Jeff's eyebrows shot up in surprise, " Really? What for?"

" Did she ever have extra cash for you?", Tempe asked.

Jeff paused significantly again, " I do know she stole from her foster parents. She liked to go shopping."

Booth frowned but kept questioning. Brennan looked around the apartment, not asking permission to do so, but Jeff didn't seem to notice that she was snooping about.

There was a photo of Emily and Mary and Jeff on a mocha stained wood bookshelf. Jeff was looking at the two girls smiling at the camera and it was not a friendly smile. Tempe had seen that smile on other people she's prosecuted.

She poked her head around the corner towards the kitchen and saw some containers on the floor. One looked like a gallon vinegar bottle with a yellowish liquid in it and there were several containers of baking soda. She highly doubted that he was baking cookies.

Seeley finished up with Jeff and thanked him tersely for his time. Tempe nodded in his direction trying not to look like she was being nosy and walked in front of Seeley. Booth was very careful to cover Tempe's back because the hair on the back of his neck was standing up. There was just something about this guy he couldn't put an immediate finger on.

Once in the SUV, they both took a big breath but Tempe spoke first, " He's making meth in his kitchen."

Seeley wasn't surprised but he was very curious, " Did you see something?"

" He had partial ingredients sitting in his kitchen.", Tempe said just before her phone rang. It was the lab. "Brennan.", she said quickly.

Hodgins voice was on the other side, " We just got some lab results back."

" And?", she replied. Booth started the car and backed into the parking lot to head back to the FBI office.

" The murder weapon rope was a typical nylon type, not going to help us with a location. But, the victims clothes had the residue of fertilizers on them: specifically hydroponic solution.", Jack sounded proud.

" Ok. So where are there hydroponic gardens around here?", Tempe asked. Booth smiled. There would be none that the owners wanted you to find, but Jack beat him to the punch.

" Dr. Brennan, you won't find these on a map. These were marijuana hydroponic tanks. I found some plant cells and other residue in her clothes.", his voice was filled with mirth.

" Oh I see. Is there a likely place we'd find these… tanks?", Brennan queried.

" Ask Super Agent…. I bet the FBI knows a few places.", Jack returned with a chuckle in his voice. Tempe didn't understand what the humor was about, but that wasn't unusual.

She said good bye and hung up. Looking at Booth she stated, " Hodgins said you'd know where hydroponic marijuana gardens are."

Booth's eyes lit up as he gripped the steering wheel, " He did, did he? We'll I have a plan Bones. I have a plan."

Emily rubbed her ankle where the incarceration bracelet had been for the last day. School had been a total drag having to explain to every kid what her new fangled jewelry was and every teacher regarded her with apprehension. Some kids asked if she killed Mary and she denied it but the thought made her heart pound really bad and she didn't remember why.

Her thoughts wandered to Jeff. That hot FBI agent had said they spoke to him today. She was worried for him. What if they pin it on him? Did Jeff do it? Her memories were so fuzzy.

All that mattered was that the lady FBI agent… Peyton, was that her name? She took that blasted bracelet off and said it was not needed any more because they had talked to Jeff.

She sat alone in her room: Jeff. Her heart and her mind kept wandering back to him. She still loved him. He mad her feel like a woman, like a queen. He has taught her so much in such a short time. She wanted to be with him forever.

The wheels in her head began to turn. Grabbing her cell phone she texted him, " Where ru?"

A few moments went by as she anxiously waited, " house." Jeff's house wasn't his apartment but rather his place of business.

" UOK?, she texted back, thumbs flying over the diminutive key board.

" Yes.U?", he replied quickly.

" ?", she typed back.

" 2nite?", his message came back.

" Yes!8.", her heart raced when she read the invitation.

"watch4cops.l8tr.", he replied and she let it go. She was going to have to sneak out once again and be extra special careful about it.

The FBI tech truck sat a few blocks away listening to every message and relayed the information to Booth.

Booth sat on the couch in Brennan's office. He just got confirmation that the prey had taken the bait. A smile stretched across his face until the thought of Tempe entered his mind. They were going to do a drug bust with a murder arrest. ATF was going to help them but he knew how heavily armed and protective drug dealers were of their crop. His stomach began to knot thinking that Bones was going to be a bull headed as ever and ask to come and be right in the front, like usual. The though of her getting hurt raised his blood pressure up so that a headache began to form at his temples. He began to rub them, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He had to talk her out of this one.

Bones entered as if his thoughts summoned him. She had just gotten a short final briefing on the remains. Mary was strangled then soaked in hydroponic solution. When she was dragged out, it appears her body wasn't moved from the indoor pot farm for at least 24 hours. The rest was on line with Tempe's original assessment of the secondary crime scene. Now they just had to find the primary one.

She glanced at Booth sitting on her couch, head in his hands, staring at the floor, " Something wrong?", she asked setting herself in her office chair.

" No…well, yes.", he said looking up. His dark eyes filled with worry.

She swiveled her chair around to face him and the action reminded him of the Emperor in _The Empire Strikes Back_, " Bones, we're going to do a stake out tonight, right?"

Her eyes brightened because she loved this part of her job, " Yes! So what's wrong. Are you not feeling well?"

That's putting it mildly, he thought, " I.. I'm fine, Bones. It's you I'm worried about."

" Why? And don't tell me it's because you have a hunch, or some allegedly preternatural 'feeling'", she replied with an edge, getting ready for a fight.

" Bones, drug dealers are scum. They will booby trap their crop or their lab. They have heavy artillery and don't care who they kill. The ATF guys are going to wear full body armor. I'm going to put on a vest tonight. I think you should hang back at the perimeter.", Booth hoped his argument was intellectually sound because she would not defer to anything less.

She regarded him for a moment in thought then spoke evenly, " I have been buried alive and almost blown up. I have rescued you numerous times. I think I can handle this."

He took in a big breath hoping she wouldn't say that she'd be 'alright', " Bones. Please. Think about this. It just takes one bullet."

" Yes, and you were almost done in by one bullet too.", she countered.

His resolve began to flag, " Bones…", he threw his hands up in the air as he stood, " I'll call the FBI office and request a woman sized vest for you."

She smiled sweetly and stood up with him, wrapping her arms around his waist get gave him a big hug, " Thanks for seeing my side."

He put his arms around her and squeezed her back, " It's the only side you'll let me see."

Tempe released him and he gave her a concerned smile back, " I'll get that vest for you. See you in a few hours." He departed not feeling very happy about this at all.

The sun set thirty minutes ago and Emily was feeling edgy. The house was quiet because all the younger foster children were asleep or finishing up their bed time routine. She lay in her bed but was fully clothed. The Williams had talked to her about the day, about the case and to please not run away anymore. They said they loved her, and she believed them, but there was a call of something stronger out there and she had to meet it.

Booth had called them earlier in the day with his idea and while not happy about the potential outcome, they agreed to do their part and pretend like nothing special was going on. Seeley was wondering if they could do it based on how their questioning sessions went, but Sweets was confident they would do an ok job.

Emily seemed so preoccupied with her task she didn't notice the shaking hands of her foster mother or the uneasy eyes of her foster father. She was singly determined tonight.

The SUV sat as discretely as a large black vehicle can from the warehouse. Streetlights were glinting off its surface and reflecting, which concealed the two people inside. The ATF held positions around in various locations, but also were concealed from immediate view. There was small soft radio chatter heard inside the car which did not relieve the stress the FBI agent was feeling.

Seeley flexed his fingers around the steering wheel rhythmically as he waited for Emily to come. He knew she'd come here once that bracelet was taken off her ankle. He knew that Jeff wanted her for a time but would quickly get bored of her. That's why he had taken a shine to Mary. Mary was young, fresh and pretty. Everything that Emily used to be even though she was hardly 'old'. The drugs were just icing on the cake and Jeff thought that Emily was smart enough not to get caught coming to him and leading them right to the lab. Booth's thought strayed to Bones who was sitting eagerly next to him like a kid waiting to get into an amusement park.

Tempe was riding her adrenaline high. The vest was a bit of a mood dampener because it was chafing her in the neck. But, Booth had given her a gun and that made her feel pretty powerful. She would find out tonight how much power she had.

Emily scurried carefully around the buildings, trying to stick to the shadows. Jeff had said to meet her at the lab, which was harder for her to get to, but not hard enough. Where there was a will there was a way.

She came in view of the partners and Seeley straightened up and radioed, " ATF group 1, object in sight."

" FBI 1, copy that.", the radio crackled back.

Bones watched the teen carefully pick her way across the street, just tens of feet from them and towards the rusty door next to the garage roller door. She knocked what looked like a furtive knock and the door was cracked open. The overhead light did not show who was behind the door, only silhouetted Emily's flaxen hair. She entered the warehouse. Booth radioed the information but he was sure that ATF had a bead on this whole situation. He looked at Bones, " Ready?" His heart was in his throat. He hated it when she insisted on her being at one of these things.

" As I'll ever be.", she replied, an excited glint in her eye.

" Let's roll.", he said and Tempe was reminded of Peyton, who had corrected her use of the exact same phrase.

Both exited the SUV; Booth held his pistol in both hands, elbows locked as he crossed the street, Tempe close behind. He had instructed her that she would enter second behind him and she was only to fire her weapon if she was fired upon.

Booth and Brennan reached the door and he called to the ATF units, " FBI 1 ready. All go?"

" 10-4, FBI 1. Locked and loaded.", the ATF agent replied, " In 3…2…1!"

Booth kicked in the door and bellowed, " FBI!" Bones followed in after, her gun in hand and hugging the wall.

The ATF burst in as well from other locations around the building shouting to put any weapons down and freeze. Inside the gloomy warehouse there was not much light except for the intense white glow of halogens which sat like large silver domes over spindly green marijuana plants with their roots in a clear trough filled with gelatinous nutrient rich solution. Tempe noticed in her focus the whirr of hydroponic pumps moving water and fertilizer around the plants as she and Booth scurried around the perimeter of the warehouse trying to find Emily and Jeff.

Shadows filled the rest of the warehouse, except for the brightly lit plants. The ATF agents found a handful of other people and they were wise to give up quickly but still no Jeff and Emily. Booth waved Bones on along the wall and he radioed quickly to the ATF they were in pursuit of their two suspects. He didn't want any friendly fire to interrupt them.

Approaching the plants, the humidity levels increased. Beads of sweat tickled Tempe's neck and the vest wasn't helping to keep her or Booth cool. " Split up. Meet me at the back of the warehouse. There aren't that many places to hide here.", Bones said.

Booth looked at her uncertainly but then he noticed there were not many places to hide that hadn't been covered but there was a balcony. " Go to the left stairs, I'll go right.", he said quickly then added, " Be careful!" Brennan rolled her eyes and then was off to the left staircase.

Booth beat her and easily scaled the stairs into the gloom. It was cooler here and a thick coat of dust showed the path of two pairs of footprints had gone up the stairs. He followed quickly when about half way up a gunshot rang out. He belly flopped onto the staircase and immediately called out, " Bones?!"

" Ok.", she called back from the other side, about 75 feet away. He breathed a mental sigh of relief and began to crawl upward, gun held cautiously in front.

Reaching the top of the stairs, a body lay in the dust. It was Jeff, a bullet hole neatly between his shoulders and blood beginning to coagulate on his shirt. A gun was near his limp hand. But where was Emily?

The steel girder balcony shook as someone, or thing, dropped behind Seeley. Before he could turn, the distinct *click!* of a .357 pistol was in his ear, just below his jaw. " Come here often, Agent Booth?", Emily's sultry voice murmured as her free hand gripped the top of the vest at the neck in an iron grip. She wasn't as tall as him but she could pull him backwards off balance, while keeping the gun at his head. The advantage was hers.

Bones ran towards them just seconds later but skidded to a halt as she saw a hand with a gun near Seeley's head and his body angled backwards. She knew Emily was behind him and she needed to think through her options.

" Bones!", Booth called and put a hand up to make her stop.

" Come one step closer and your 'partner' will be a dead man.", Emily's voice called out from behind Seeley. Booth tried to keep his expression neutral but it was hard when a gun was being used as a Q-tip in your ear.

" Emily, don't get yourself in more trouble and you already are.", Tempe said cautiously as she inched closer. Booth waved her off.

" Dr. Brennan, I said don't get any closer.", Emily warned and adjusted the angle of the pistol, " Mr. Agent and I will be leaving now and if you try to stop me, I'll kill him."

" Shoot me, Bones!", Booth said suddenly.

" What?!", Tempe and Emily replied simultaneously.

" Shoot me. You don't love me, not like she loved Jeff. Shoot me.", Booth said, casting his eyes over his shoulder trying to gauge Emily's reaction. He felt her adjust her grip on his vest and the gun poked him in the ear harder. He hissed in pain.

Looking back at Bones, he hoped she would pick up on his lead and let the both of them talk Emily into surrender but as he watched her face, he was not so sure. This could be bad, he thought to himself.

" Well, Dr. Brennan? Is it true?", Emily called out, her voice a mixture of grief and anger.

" I… well… I…", Bones stammered and the guns angle was adjusted again. Seeley yelped slightly. Tempe drew her gun up in firing position, her expression steely.

" C'mon Dr. Brennan. You can't commit can you? Just like Jeff. I wasn't enough. He had to have Mary. Mary didn't know how to love a man like Jeff. He was _mine_!", Emily ranted, dragging Booth backwards towards the stairs. He tripped slightly as she bent him backwards at an awkward angle. Suddenly Booth realized that the armhole of his vest was exposed and not the full front of the Kevlar. If Bones really did shoot him and she missed, he may as well be a dead man. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

" If you want me to declare something true, when in fact it is not, I will not.", Tempe replied cool as a winter breeze. Her gun was still drawn up for firing, " Let Agent Booth go and I'll spare your life."

" You… you don't… Bones? Really?", it was Seeley's turn to be shocked. After all they had been through, this is how the truth comes out?

Even Emily seemed surprised, " Dr. Brennan, you are an idiot if you don't see what he is."

" And what is he?", Tempe replied following them carefully, step by step.

" My ticket out of here.", Emily said jerking Booth backwards suddenly but not close enough to the stairs to escape. Not yet.

Two gunshots sounded rapid fire. Booth's body jerked upward with the first bullet which off balanced Emily. She dodged back to avoid Seeley as he fell and the second bullet caught her in the upper chest, right side. She tumbled backwards, just inches shy of the top of the stairs. Her gun clattered uselessly to the side.

The threat neutralized, Brennan ran to Booth, who was gasping in pain as he stared at the ceiling. She was only about ten feet when she shot and that was going to leave a nasty bruise. " Booth… are you ok?", she grabbed him by the vest and unbuckled the side clips. Seeley was trying to suck air back into his lungs and forget the searing heat and pain he felt right above his heart.

" I'll… live.", he replied through gritted teeth and clamped shut eyes.

Tempe eased the vest off, ripped open the buttons to his shirt and looked at what she had done to him. A huge welt was forming on the left side of his chest. A neat red mark indicated the spot where the bullet had touched him and it looked like a horrible sun burn right over his heart. The bruise was already purpling under his skin. He propped himself up on his right elbow and glanced briefly towards Emily. It was obvious she was dead. Tempe was a good shot after all.

Before the ATF arrived, he looked at her seriously, " Is it true, Bones?"

" Is what true?", she replied still examining his wound.

" What you said to her.", he returned. He just didn't have the courage to repeat her words.

" About me not validating that which is not true?", Bones filled in for him and met his eyes.

" Yes.", his dark brown eyes looked hurt and broken.

" No. It's not true.", she leaned in and kissed him solidly.

The pain was gone as her lips touched his and he melted into the kiss like frost with the touch of spring's first sunlight. He knew his Bones wouldn't lie. Well, maybe she would… all this logic was making his head hurt. Suddenly she withdrew her kiss as the sounds of boot-clad feet approached up the stairs.

The first ATF agent saw Booth's angry looking bruise and called for an EMT. He already knew that Emily was dead. " You both ok here?", the officer asked not sure how to take the half naked FBI agent and a very pretty woman who was blushing madly above him.

" We're fine. Not the same for her, unfortunately.", Booth commented and wincing at he used his left arm to gesture at the body of Emily.

" That's what you get for threatening my partner.", Tempe said, her old foster self channeling through her. The ATF officer agreed with them and started the process of clean up with the coroner.

Tempe watched the paramedic take Seeley's vital signs and address his bruise, " How did you come by this one?", the paramedic asked casually while he cleaned the area.

Booth flinched with the cold antiseptic." She shot me.", he said matter-of-factly.

The paramedic gave Brennan a wary look. " Long story.", she said with a wry smile.

" Well, we still need an x-ray to check for broken ribs.", the paramedic said, gesturing to the gurney in the ambulance.

" You know, money is tight in the FBI. How about if I drive myself.", Booth asked not wanting to ride in the wheeled box. The last time he did that, he was nearly dead and the memory was still fresh in his mind.

" You can't drive with that arm.", the paramedic replied, looking skeptical.

" Then I'll drive.", Bones jumped in immediately. Both men looked at her dubiously then exchanged their own glances. " What?", she protested.

Seeley took in as deep a breath as he could and caved, " Ok, Bones. Just don't kill us both. You've almost done me in tonight."

The paramedic made Booth sign on the medical release and said he'd meet them at the hospital for the doctor report. He gave Booth a sympathetic look and a light pat on the shoulder.

Seeley sat up from the bumper of the ambulance and walked gingerly towards the SUV, passenger side. The keys were in his pants pocket on his left side. His right arm couldn't quite reach. " My keys are in my pocket.", he said sheepishly.

" Okay.", Tempe said easily and reached into his pants pocket. Although it should have been a quick maneuver but she was still high off her adrenaline rush and acutely aware that he was shirtless. Her hand lingered longer than she planned and Seeley noticed.

As she looked up at him, his face dangerously close to hers, a voice called out, " Seeley?" Tempe pulled her hand hastily out of his pocket, keys in hand. Agent Perotta appeared from around the car, a look of relief, which morphed to concern, on her face and blonde hair swinging at her shoulders. " What happened to you?", she quickened her pace to them, while Tempe tried to keep her expression neutral, hands clenched around the keys.

Seeley took a painful breath and replied acutely aware he was shirtless, " She shot me."

Peyton looked at Bones then at Seeley, eyes narrowing, " When did _she_ get a gun?"

" When I asked for one.", Tempe replied, icy.

Seeley sensed a fight coming on and gestured with his right arm widely to diffuse the situation, " Let's get in the car and we'll fill you in Peyton."

On the trip to the ER, Seeley and Bones filled Peyton in. Emily had been the bait to get the boyfriend, also drug dealer, but their suspicions were wrong: Emily was the murderer, not the boyfriend. It came to an extremely unfortunate end for Emily. As Tempe listened to the tale she had just been so deeply involved in, she felt sadness for Emily. Tempe could have been her; a kid lost in the system who didn't make the best choices and became a statistic on the evening news, not a person with a unique identity.

Brennan reflected for a moment as she piloted the hulking SUV and Peyton and Seeley talked FBI stuff. Emily's foster parents were genuinely good people and she felt they tried the best they could have with Emily. But some folks don't want to be saved even when the gates are left wide open. Bones thought it may have been nice to have known her a bit better, but when Emily threatened Seeley's life, that is where the interest stopped.

The hospital came in view and she eased the car into a spot reserved for clergy. " Bones! You can't park here! This spot is for the priests.", Booth protested with a hiss because it hurt to breathe.

Tempe turned to look at him in the passenger seat, " Just because they talk to God doesn't entitle them to any better parking spot than someone who enforces the law." Peyton rolled her eyes.

Booth opened his mouth briefly but shut it again. He attempted to shrug but stopped as the gunshot bruise reminded him why he was at the hospital.

The two women escorted Seeley inside and competed with each other to be the first to gain the attention of a doctor. Peyton attracted a triage nurse but Bones had snagged an MD. Peyton shot her a dark look but retracted her offering.

"Mr. Booth, what's happened to you this evening?", the doctor asked giving Seeley an appraising look.

" My partner shot me.", Seeley was getting tired of saying that as he moved towards a triage area and hopped up on the table. The doctor didn't seem too nonplussed. He was an ER doctor and has seen just about everything.

" Maybe time for a new partner?", the doctor joked and he felt Seeley stiffen as he listened to his breath sounds.

" Not on my life.", Seeley said seriously and looked at Tempe full on making Peyton feel uncomfortable.

The doctor moved around to the front of Seeley and listened to his heart and lateral breath sounds. Casually, he removed his stethoscope from his ears and looked at Seeley's wound which was swollen on the surface from the subcutaneous bleeding. " An x-ray is our next step to see if you have any cracked ribs under there. I'll get a nurse and send the order up to radiology.", the doctor turned to Tempe, " And Dr. Brennan, thank you for the offer of a signed copy of your latest book. My wife will appreciate it."

" You're welcome.", Tempe replied evenly with a slight not and smiled.

" That is how you grabbed him? You bribed him with a book?", Peyton said incredulously, hands upraised in front of her, mouth gaping in disbelief.

An older nurse materialized through the curtain screen with a blood pressure cuff , his file and a gown for Seeley to change into. " Excuse me ladies. I need to be alone with the patient, or are one of you the wife?"

The women exchanged looks and then looked back at the nurse, " We just work together." The nurse rolled her eyes and shrugged at the strange trio.

" Yeah, she shot him.", Peyton rubbed in. The nurse, a veteran of the ER, paid her no mind and asked Seeley to disrobe into the gown.

Seeley began to blush at the nurse as Peyton and Tempe reluctantly and slowly retreated, " Honey,", the nurse began with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, " I'm old enough to be your mother. Now get undressed."

Booth obeyed and let the nurse get his vital signs, " May I keep my boxers on?", he asked almost timidly because he did realize this woman was old enough to be his mother.

The nurse smiled kindly at him but a wicked twinkle was in her eye, " I guess we'd better do that, honey, or your two workmates will make short work of you!"

Seeley gave her an uneasy smile as a wheel chair was brought in. Why was it that hospitals all thought you were invalids when checked in?, he thought to himself as he eased off the table and into the chair.

Peyton and Bones were waiting outside the curtain pretending not to be too worried.

" We'll have him back in a jiffy, girls. Ya'll just have a seat over there, please.", the older nurse said firmly and gestured towards the waiting area overflowing with urgent care cases.

The two women smiled uncertainly at Booth who was trying to preserve a shred of dignity in the hospital gown. The nurse turned smartly and wheeled him away to the elevator bank. Peyton and Bones were alone; again.

Peyton got tired of standing and began to wander towards a seat. Bones, seeing nothing better to do, followed her and found an empty seat next to her. Peyton adjusted her gun holster as she sat down giving some of the other patients waiting a moment of pause. She ignored their looks. Bones sat on the edge of her seat, hands between her knees not sure what to do next.

Moments that seemed like eternity passed before Peyton spoke up, " How long have you known Seeley?" Peyton turned her head towards Bones, her blonde hair fanning out.

Bones swallowed and looked between the floor and Peyton's face, " Four years." It felt like eternity to her but not in the unpleasant way she noticed people used that expression. Instead, she almost couldn't remember her life without him.

" How about you?", Bones asked in return, her blue-grey eyes calm and anthropologically curious.

Peyton smiled slightly and glanced away across the room. In her heart of hearts, she knew within a few moments of working with Tempe and Seeley that they were inseparable, either romantically or professionally. They wore it like an aura about them; a shield of invincibility unless one was separated from the other. A house divided cannot stand. " Seeley and I met at Quantico. A few months back, actually. He mentioned my name to the powers that be when he was involved in that hockey case.", she said trying to sound as casual as possible, " I guess he thought we'd be a good match."

Bones absorbed her words carefully. She appraised Peyton's words: good match. Certainly, they functioned well when Seeley was not around. Peyton was decisive, precise and didn't rely on that " gut thing" as much as Booth did and she was still effective as an investigator. Yes, they did make a good match as far as Tempe had worked with her. Suddenly, like lightening, the thought struck Tempe to her core: was Booth trying to get rid of her? Did he feel an obligation to find her another if he was killed in duty? The concept sucked the breath out of her.

" Dr. Brennan? Are you ok?", Peyton reached out and touched Tempe's arm. Bones realized she had stopped breathing for several seconds and gulped in a large breath.

" Yes, I'm fine. Thanks.", Tempe managed to reply, hopefully not looking too awkward. The thought still nipped at the edges of her consciousness…. The night club shooting, smacking his head on the ice, the car accidents… it seemed to be not a question of what if, but when?

Peyton sensed her anxiety and quickly changed the subject out of respect with an comforting smile, " What projects do you work on at the Jeffersonian when you're not doing FBI casework?"

Tempe caught her breath and welcomed the diversion, " We have this place called Limbo…"

Seeley reappeared after the two women had a very long time to chat about work, life and even touching on a bit of romance. Peyton had a better sense of who this anthropologist was, who at first glance had appeared very one dimensional to her. She found that Tempe had a warm side who liked classic rock, Thai food and even a few of the early 1980's cartoons. When Booth saw them chatting away amiably, his suspicion detector activated. It was never good to see two women conversing so animatedly, especially when you work with both of them.

The older nurse wheeled the hospital gowned agent up to his two now apparently close friends. The two ladies didn't notice him at first because they were so deep in their conversation. Seeley cleared his throat.

" Booth! How are you?", both women said virtually simultaneously, concern visible in their eyes.

Seeley contemplated playing the wounded hero for a moment but quickly decided they were too smart for that and he was too bad of an actor, "I'll live thanks to the miracles of Kevlar." The nurse snorted a sarcastic sound.

" Let's come over here for some privacy so the doctor can discuss your case.", the nurse commented dryly, pushing the chair back to the triage area. The two women stood and followed a modest distance.

Once the nurse had picked an exam area, Seeley gingerly removed himself from the wheel chair and up onto the exam table. Peyton and Brennan entered, deftly skirting the matronly nurse who had an evil twinkle in her eye. As they passed, she gave them a conspiratorial wink. Tempe was briefly confused and Peyton returned the wink with a smile.

The ER doctor entered with several X rays in a folder. Without much ado, he snapped them up on the light box, flicking on the light in a deft motion. Stepping back, he crossed his arms and paused as if waiting for some commentary from Tempe.

She gazed at the films in their crisp black and white relief. Here was the interior of her agent: the strong heart in soft peaceful grays; lungs were clear black crescent shapes, no hints of pulmonary disease. Tempe noted random speckles of white near the margins of his thoracic cavity on both sides: shrapnel too small for surgeons to remove from his days in the Army. Her eyes roved over the healed cracks from his gunshot last year on his right first and second ribs. She wanted desperately to touch the films as if she could plum the depths of his body and soul and make that connection she'd wanted to so urgently before. There was a hint of his scapulae in the film like small ghostly wings as if he were her guardian angel.

" … so there will be some tenderness in the area but no major damage. It was a good thing you gave her a smaller caliber weapon for the distance you were standing away. Wouldn't you agree Dr. Brennan?", the doctors voice yanked her eyes away from the X ray and its tale of Seeley's life. X rays showed so much more than just the insides of a person. It really explained their existence.

" Uh… umm. Yes.", Tempe said looking briefly at the doctor and back at the films.

Booth's brow furrowed in concern, " Do you see something, Bones?" He was worried because she knew bones better than the doctor even if she wasn't a "medical" doctor like that nutcase chiropractor had commented once.

Brennan inhaled carefully, forcing herself to be calm. The X rays not just remind her about Seeley's life but that he was mortal, "No. Everything looks ship shop to me."

"It's ship-shape, Bones.", Seeley put a smile into his voice and on his lips. Peyton fidgeted and the doctor had a satisfied look on his face like all his work was accomplished.

" I'll have your paperwork at the front desk for discharge. Remember, if you need some Tylenol 3 or hydrocodone, let me know. I'll write the script.", the doctor said congenially, "And again Dr. Brennan, thanks for the signed book."

Seeley nodded politely at the doctor and waved. His gaze then returned to the two women, " Ok. Let a man get dressed in privacy please."

Peyton opened her mouth for a snappy flirtatious comment but then closed it again taking her leave. Bones moved to follow her, wordlessly, but Seeley grabbed her wrist as she passed making her pause, " Bones, really. Is there something wrong in those X rays?", his voice was becoming slightly mystic.

Tempe looked deeply and long into his brown eyes and open expression, " Are you asking me if I see some phantom disease or something?"

" You were practically hypnotized looking at those X rays. I know I am a fine male specimen but it was a bit creepy.", he commented puffing out his chest and trying a wan smile.

" Booth. I am not a fortune teller.", she replied nonchalantly trying to pull her wrist free but he held on looking intently at her. She pulled in a breath wondering how to say what she wanted to say. After a pause she expounded, " Looking at those X rays remind me that I may lose you someday. It's not a pleasant thought." She hoped that was enough. He held on stubbornly in his paper thin hospital gown. Brennan could see more of him than she thought he realized.

" You're still hiding something.", he said dropping his voice a note in seriousness.

His warm hands encircling her wrist felt so comfortable, like they were supplying each other energy to live. Brennan looked away from him and then back. His eyes never wavered. " Booth, why did you mention Peyton to the Bureau when we worked that hockey case?", Tempe asked trying to clear her thoughts and let her mind work, not her heart which was being influenced by the proximity of his disquiet.

Booth wasn't expecting the question so he sat up some popping his back in the process, " Why? Well, she was qualified and … I dunno."

" Did you think we'd work well together?", Tempe followed up quickly before her resolve dissolved.

" Well… yes. I was impressed by her skills at Quantico and thought she'd work well with you because I like her.", Booth replied and immediately regretted the word "like".

In a blink, Dr. Brennan was back behind the blue eyes and not Tempe. Booth blew it and he knew it. Kicking himself mentally he looked at the floor. Her hand slipped out of his grip.

" That's all I needed to know. See you outside.", Brennan replied and walked out.

Seeley felt like a fool.

Booth dressed and discharged himself from the hospital. The next step was a bit uncertain because there was one vehicle and three people. Seeley knew he needed to visit the Williams and let them know what has happened to their foster daughter tonight despite the fact it was approaching midnight.

" I'll catch a cab home. See you at the office tomorrow and good luck with this one.", Peyton said noncommittally. She did feel sad for Seeley though. Telling someone their loved one is deceased is never pleasant. Seeley said his goodbyes as well knowing it was pointless to argue and offer a ride to Perotta. He looked towards Bones who was standing impassively on the curb. The night air tugged at her loose hair, blowing it carelessly across her forehead. He wished his hand would be the one to brush them back.

" I want to come with you.", Tempe turned to face him before he could speak. The winds invisible hand moved her hair out of her eyes. There was a soft look in her eyes.

" Are you sure?", Booth looked at her uncertainly.

" Yes. For once I understand this better than you.", Tempe said and stepped off the curb towards the SUV.

The drive was quiet as the darkened streets mirrored the mood in the SUV. Streetlights did their best to light the way for travelers, while neon blinked beckoningly for a stop for dinner or a movie or something more adult.

Finally, the quaint house appeared before them and Seeley pulled up in the driveway. Killing the engine he sat for a moment, hands wrapped around the steering wheel suddenly wishing he'd taken that doctor's offer of some Tylenol 3. He didn't need it for his gunshot but for his nerves. Tempe didn't look at him but stayed seated as well. With a breath in, she opened her door and stepped out, face unreadable. Seeley was wondering how much of this was his doing or just the moment.

Bones rang the doorbell once and waited. In a nanosecond a light appeared in the front room and Mr. Williams at the door. He peeked from behind the curtain that obscured the plate glass of the door, his face a mixture of worry and exhaustion, and let them in.

Booth and Bones crossed the threshold silently as not to disturb the rest of the house. Mr. Williams showed them to the back of the home in the kitchen. Mrs. Williams was also awake, a steaming coffee cup cradled between her hands. Her grey hair was pulled up in a bun behind her head and dark circles were formed below her kind eyes. Tempe felt genuine sorrow for what she was about to say.

Mr. Williams offered them a seat a the table but both Tempe and Booth remained standing. Tempe could feel the warmth radiating from Booth like a warm blanket. It helped give her strength for the moment ahead of her.

" Mr. and Mrs. Williams, I am deeply sorry to say that Emily was killed tonight while resisting arrest.", Tempe said as calmly as she could but tears were threatening. She blinked as discreetly as she could.

Mrs. Williams' hand flew to her mouth with a sharp exclamation. Mr. Williams looked heartbroken but resolved to the fact. " How?", Mrs. Williams asked, her voice cracking. Tempe related the story carefully and accurately but with compassion and understanding. Booth was simultaneously amazed and proud of her but kept his expression appropriately somber.

Mrs. Williams rose from her chair and walked around the table to where Tempe was standing. She wrapped her thin arms around Bones as the tears began to flow. For a moment, Tempe froze but then softened reacting with the instinct that the hug needed to be returned. She held Mrs. Williams for a moment and then said softly, " I was a foster child too. You have done great work here and you are not to blame for any of this."

Mr. Williams and Booth watched for a moment as the two women embraced and then separated. Mrs. Williams' face was streaked with tears and her eyes glistened with grief. Bones regarded her patiently for a moment and then gave her arms a squeeze. The foster mother released Tempe and she stepped aside. Booth filled in the details for claiming Emily's body from the Coroner's office. Mr. Williams gave his thanks and then showed them to the door.

Tempe tried not to look back at the house as she walked down the porch steps. She didn't know how Booth could do this as a regular part of his job. Brennan scoffed at herself mentally. She was just over reacting because the family was a foster family and that just dug up pain in her memories. The rationalization sounded good for now so she latched onto it for the moment.

Glancing at his watch, Booth noted it was almost two o'clock. He was sore and achy but too awake to sleep. He wondered if Bones would be game for some decompression from this case. It had been a long and tough day for both of them. "Bones, wanna catch some coffee somewhere?", he said wearily to her back as she moved toward the car.

Tempe stopped just a few feet from the vehicle, back still to him. He could see her shoulders shuddering as she tried to reign in the sobs. Quickly he went to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, gently grasping her hands in front of her. " Let it go.", he whispered gently in her ear.

His warm and solid presence behind her was like a ladder out of the dark she felt she was falling into. She took his advice and let it come out at first hesitant twitches as she tried not to look weak but eventually the baggage came tumbling loose inside her like luggage spilling their contents for everyone to see. Booth didn't mind dirty laundry; he had plenty of his own and so he let her cry.

Like a summer thunderstorm, the fury ran itself out quickly and left a softer drizzle to deal with. Seeley, ever the gentleman, found a tissue in his coat pocket and offered it to her as she pulled away from his embrace and turned towards him. He hated seeing her face after crying because he always felt guilty that he had something to do with it.

She gratefully accepted the tissue and blotted her eyes before blowing her nose. It came out as a loud honking noise and Seeley couldn't help but laugh. Tempe cut her eyes at him but then started to giggle as exhaustion and stress took over. Booth returned the laugh with more until they were both on the verge of collapsing on the ground, gasping for breath.

" Let's go get some pie.", Booth insisted, collecting himself with fits and starts.

" No pie. Just coffee.", Brennan returned feeling her baggage packed back up neatly inside her closet.

" Some day, Bones. Some day you'll eat pie.", Booth said, circling his arm around her waist and guiding her to the car.

Brennan was caught by the moment and meditated on it for a second; Peyton or not, mortal or not, they were a team. She hopped into the passenger seat and looked at Booth, who was settling in the driver's side. Yes, indeed, they were partners. Satisfied, Tempe said, " Smash it!"

" It's ' Hit it', Bones.", Booth gently corrected.

" Whatever. Just drive.", she replied feeling giddy again.

" Yes, ma'am.", Booth returned and set the car off in search of coffee and pie.

The End.

47


End file.
